Letterkenny Gaels ease past Robert Emmets into JFC semi-final

Letterkenny Gaels booked their place in the last four of the Donegal Junior ‘A’ Championship with a dominant performance against Robert Emmets at the Glebe on Saturday evening. 

Diarmaid O’Cathail and Conor McBrearty scored the goals and McBrearty, O’Cathail, Ronan Frain, Brian Diver, Matthew Winters. Conor Walker and Darren Hunter kicked the points in the runaway win. 

Rory Dalton and Dylan McNamee scored the points for Robert Emmets, who did not score in the opening 30 minutes.

The locals led 0-7 to 0-0 at half-time after playing into a stiff breeze and a well organised Robert Emmets, who played keep ball over and back the park in the opening ten to 13 minutes.

Conoir McGettigan, Daniel, Rory and Ciaran Dalton, Conor Walker, and Owen Haran displayed great discipline in holding possession for Robert Emmets, who went into the tie as very much the underdog.

Conor McBrearty’s two point score from play on 14 minutes was the Gaels' first strike at the Robert Emmets posts.

But when two minutes later McBrearty converted a two point free the locals' lead was out to four points, and the game opened up. 

And the winners added three more points before the half-time break, while Shay Doherty had a goal ruled out for a square ball after he palmed home a McBrearty cross.

And Ryan McGirr, who played his heart out, took a ball off his goal line to deny the Gaels an opening three point score again.  

Robert Emmets were guilty of missing a number of close-in frees and ended the half with four wides.  

Letterkenny Gaels began the second period on the front foot, and a McBrearty point and O’Cathail goal inside five minutes of the restart had stretched their lead out to 1-8 with Robert Emmets still to score.

Rory Dalton, with a two pointer, got Robert Emmets off the mark, but with the pace and powerful running of O’Cathail and Ronan Frain, the scores began to flow for the locals. 

And by the time McBrearty converted from the penalty spot at the end of the third quarter, after O’Cathail was impeded in the rectangle, the lead was out to 2-12 to 0-2. 

Dylan McNamee converted from a close-in free for Robert Emmets second score and third point. 

O’Cathaill capped a man of the match performance with his second goal and the Gaels' third goal with over ten minutes remaining as the game fizzled out in the closing minutes.  

Letterkenny Gaels scorers: Conor McBrearty 1- 5, 2tp; Diarmaid O’Cathail 2-1; Ronan Frain 0-5 1tp,1tpf,1’45; Brian Diver, Matthew Winters, Conor Walker and Darren Hunter 0-1 each.

Robert Emmets: Rory Dalton 0-2,tp, Dylan McNamee 0-1f.  

Letterkenny Gaels: Mark Margey; Charlie Robinson, Conor Browne, Niall Diver; Brian Diver, Diarmaid O’Cathail, Liam McAlary; Darren Hunter, Ronan Frain; Conor Walker, Jack Keys, Matthew Winters; Paddy Doherty, Conor McBrearty, Shay Doherty.

Subs: Ray Quinn for C Browne (48); Aaron Bonner for C Robinson (55), Adam Duffy for C McBrearty (56), Conor Cullen R Frain (58). 

Robert Emmets: Sam McGlinchey; Reece Gallagher, Niall Quinn, Ryan McGirr;  Conor McGettigan, Daniel Dalton, Dylan McNamee; Niall Quinn, Owen Haran; Rory Dalton, Fionn Farren, Conor Dalton; Ciaran Dalton, Ronan McDaid, Sean Maguire.

Subs: Ryan Roe for N Quinn (48); Jordan Tourish and Ronan Kennedy for R McGirr and N Quinn (55). 

Referee: Pat Barrett (Milford).